DE 600 05 552 T2 discloses a switching device conforming to its genre. In this case, a high pressure fluid can be conducted selectively through a first treatment device or a second treatment device, in which devices the fluid experiences a treatment, such as a filtration operation. For this purpose, the two treatment devices can be connected to each other by first and second fluid-conducting connections. According to the solution known from the prior art, an outlet valve that is intended for the treated fluid is provided in an approximately centered manner in the first fluid-conducting connection. An inlet valve that is intended for the untreated fluid is provided in an approximately centered manner in the second fluid-conducting connection. A safety valve is provided on both sides adjacent to the inlet and the outlet valve in the two fluid-conducting connections. The safety valve can supply the treatment devices with the fluid, supplied by the inlet valve. With respect to the other fluid-conducting connection, the treated fluid can be fed from the treatment devices to the outlet valve. In the known solution, the inlet valve and the outlet valve as well as the two safety valves, which are assigned in pairs to the two treatment devices, are connected together in each instance by a shaft that couples the valve pairs. To change the switching position of the valve elements disposed in the valves, a switching lever is connected to the respective shaft. The shafts can be rotated by the respective switching lever. The shafts are positively coupled by connecting link guides in such a way that the valve pairs can be actuated only in a predefined order of sequence. In the prior art solution, both the coupling shafts and the fluid-conducting connections that are provided for arranging the valves must satisfy high quality requirements with respect to the tolerance during production and assembly. The valves that are coupled together in each instance are then arranged exactly coaxially to the shaft and can be actuated by an operator with as little obstruction as possible.